Lubricating system.



F. FLEMING.

VLUBFHCATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILEDAPR. Il. '1914.

1,178,999. j A Patented Apf. 11,1916.

". f y LHTraR/VLY FRANK rIEMING, oF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

ismaiarcarnte' SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented-Apr. 11, 191e.

original application mea iai-mary 1s, 1912, serial NQ. 671,054..` Divided and this application mea vw11 To all/whom t may concern.' v j Be itknown that I, FRANK FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the countyofSaoramento andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in -LubricatingSystems, ofwhich the following, taken in connection with the accompanying. drawings, is afull, clear, and exact description. 1

This invention relates to certain improvements in lubricating systems, and refers more particularly to flexible pipe vcouplings therefor in which' the sections -of the coupling are turnable one upon the other with a fluid-tight joint, and is particularly adapted -for use in connection with the lubricating system forming the sub'ect-matter of my pending application, erial .-No. 671,054, filed January 13, 1912, of which the present application is a d ivision.V

The -main object is to permit an uninterr rupted flow of lubricant through the vari'- yous forms'of couplings and joints to a multiplicity of bearings or `other` parts whichare to be lubricated-without ,liability of lleakage at such joints, and at Athe same time to laccelerate the' flow of the lubricant 'through such couplings o'r` joints as well asv other. parts of the piping system, and to the bearings" by passing a heating fluid throughl the saineY pipes l'and couplings without liability of communication with the lubricant@ .Another object is to maintain a fluid-tight turning joint between thcoupling sections.

A further object is togmain'tain `the con- .tinuity-.of each passage in any position. of rotary adjusment of either of the coupling. vsections by extending-a portion of at least one of the passages entirely-around the'turn- .ing joint, sotals to also accelerate the iow of the lubricant by increasing its fluidity.

` Other objects andvuses will be brought -out inthe follcwing'description. j

Ifnwthe. drawings' Figure 1 is a sectional view'of; ai@ coupling for pipes extendingv in the same'general direction. Fig. 2-is a sectional view of an elbow coupling forpipes leading in different directions.

. The couplingl shown in Fig.1 comprises a male member 1 and a female member 2 the meinnb'e'r., 1 A being provided with a lateral proj eetion ftting'with a fluidtight joint into a correspondlngly, tapered serial 11018311133.

drical portion 6- between the nut 7 and adjacent portionof the couplin Q to draw the tapered `projection-of t e sec- .tion 1 into close engagement with the in the section and .is j

socket 2 for maintaining a tight joint,.

or rather for holding the coupling sections 1n operative relation, and still permit one section to be turned upon the other, the

turnin joint-being protected from' dust and other oreign matter by a cap Q which is screwed upon the adjacent portion 'of the coupling 2 thereby forming a` housing for the nut 7 and spring 8 The main bodies of `the vcoupling sections 1 and 2 arendisposed in planes at substantially 'right `angles to the. axis ofv their turningl connections one upon the other, and are provided with non-communieating passages therethrough for the transheatingiid, as steam, respectively, the section' 1 being provided with an inlet tion 1 and laterally through the tapering offset thereof and terminates in branch passages `opening into a` passage 5 in.

the couplingsection 2 thus forming'a continuous passageifor the lubricating fluid entirely through both coupling sections.

misslon of a lubricating fluid, as oil, andi a j' i for the lubricant and a co-axial inletl .inlet 3- communicates with a passage The portion of the passage 5 of, the

coupling section 2- which; communicates-- directly with the branchpassages of the passage 4 -in the section 1 extends entirely around the adjacent portion of the v lateral projection so as ,to maintain l' v open communication entirely through both coupling sections'inany `position of adjust- -ment "of either section. @The steam inleti 10- communicates with a lateral passage 11- in the section 1 leading to a steam outlet` 12 inthe section 2 therebyforming a continuous passage for the'steam throughv both couplings independently of the passages 3,4 and 5. The oil \oil outlet end of the section -2- are turned one upon the other.

threaded for receiving 'suitable pipe connections (not shown) by. which the lubricant may be conducted to the desired localities. In like manner the steam inlet end of the section -1- and the steam outlet end of the section -2- are also threaded'for re'- ceiving suit-able pipe connections (not shown), whereby the steaml may be conducted entirely through the coupling sections. In this particular form of my invention, the st eam inlet -10- and its outlet l2- are coaxial with the corresponding oil inlet and oil outlet respectively. v

The portions of the coupling sections -1- and -2- in which the inlets -10` and -12- are `formed are somewhat smaller than the corresponding portions of the same parts in which the oil inlet oil inlet and outlet surroundrthe corresponding steam inlet and its outlet, the heat of the steam serving to. liquefy the oil and accelerate its passage through the couplingu sections. rlhe portion of the steam passage which extends through the lateral oii'set of the section -1- extends entirely around the corresponding' portion of the oil passage so as to maintain open communication between both ends of the steam passage through theV turning joint in all positions of adjustment of either of the couplingsections,l andA` also serving to accelerate the How of the lubricant through the passage 4 and into the passage J5-.- by heating such lubricant.

`The elbow coupling shown in Fig. 2 comprises an angular female section -20- having tapering sockets in its opposite ends for receiving the correspondingly tapering ends of male sections 2l-v, the tapering portions of said sections formingl fluid-tight connections and permitting them to be the branches of the elbow section 20-'- are threaded externally for receiving suit' able' unions -122fscrewed thereon for holding the sections 2lin operative connection with thea section 20- and when properly adjusted are held against further turning by cotter pins or keys 23-a which are passed through apertures:

in one sidelof the unions -22- and engage in apertured lugs -,24 on the c'orresponding sides of the elbow ysection 1-20-4. rThe tapering portions "of the sections -21- are held to their seatsby coil springs -25 interposed between the outer ends of the unions -22- and suitable shoulders on the sections -21-, the ends ofthe springs bearing against hardened washers 26`' to vallow the sections 21 vto turnl more Afreely/ withouty necessarily The ends of j turning the springs. Suitable gaskets or packings -27- of rubber or equivalent material are interposed between the innerl ends of the sections -21- and corresponding ends of the tapering sockets in the section /20- to further prevent leakage of steam at the turning joint.

' The coupling sections 21H are provided with outer and inner tubular parts concentric with each other, the outer ends of the outer parts being threaded for receiving threaded nipples -28- and -28-, respectively, each nipple being provided with a conical'valve seat for receiving similarly formed valves .-253- lon the outer ends of the inner tubular parts and allowing the nipples to be turned to establish vfluid-tight Ljoints with the cone valves 29. The

nipple -28- is provided with a steam inlet bular part of the corresponding coupling section -2l-, the elbow passage 31" communicating with an outlet S2-- in the nipple -28 through the opening in I,the inner tubular part of the adjacent coupling section ,-21-, Ithereby establishing a continnous steam passage through the coupling sections and nipples. vThe nipple -28-vis also provided with an additional oil passage '35- surrounding the steam passage --30--` and communicating with a passage -36- between the inner and outer tubular parts of the coupling section 2lthe passage -36- being provided with lateral branches ,37- communicating with an elbow passage -38- in the elbow section -20- and thence through branches -37- in the other coupling section -21- with ,an annular space --l0-v between the inner and outer 'tubular parts vot' said section, and thence to the oil outlet passage 40e in the nipple -28-. The steam inlet *80- and its outlet passage -32- are formed in inner #284 and '-28'- which inner tubular icc portions are united to the outer portions of said nipples by Vties -21-2# arranged at intervals circumferentially so as to allow the oil` passages `35- and -41- in the nipples to entirely surround the inner steam passages -30- and B2- In like manner, the passages -j-36- and 4C- surround the inner passages -31- in the coupling sections 721- so that the heat of the steam passing through the upling sections @will accelerate the flow ot'ghe oil through the same sections, but wholly independent of the steam passage. lt will he observed fromthe foregoing description that both of these couplings are provided with non-communicating passagestherethrough, one for the lubricating fluid and the other for the llo heating fluid, and while I have described 13@ these two specific forms 'I of my invention, 1t 1s evident that certain-parts thereof may ends ofthe coupling being concentric for be substituted by equivalent parts without v departing from the spirit of this invention,

and therefore, I do not limit myself to the structure shown and described.

f I claim':

l. In lalubricatingsystem a flexible pipe coupling. v comprising telescoping sections turnable one uponl the other with a fhiid-4 municating passages therethrough fory a .lubricating fluid and a heating fluid, respecytight joint, said sections having non-comthereof' communicating with the turning' joint at all pointsy in its circumference, the' portions ofv the lpassages 'at the terminal ends of the coupling being concentric forV connectionwith pipes. having similar concentrlc passages;

' 2. In a lubricating system apipe coupling comprising telescoping pipe sections turnable one upon the otherwith a fluid-tight joint and having non-communicating vpassages therethrough forva lubricating fluid anda heating fluid, respectively, one of the passages having a portion thereof surrounding a portion of the ctherpas'sage, the portions ofthe passages at the terminal endsl of the coupling being concentric foriy convnection with pipes having'similarvconcentric passages. y

3. In a lubricating systemy a pipe coupling comprising twohollow sections having respectively a tapering v socket anda tapering .projection tting thereinto and forming a uid-tight'turning joint, said coupling having' non-communicating passages, each extend-ing continuously through both sections for conducting oil and steam respectively,

the portions of the passages at the terminal'.

ends-oi` the vcoupling being concentric for sections having a tapered socket in one.

' side, the other section having a tapered end Vconnection with pipes having similar -concent-ric passages.

4. In a lubricating system a pipe cou ling comprising two hollow sections, one o said fitted in said socket to, form-a fluid-tight joint, said couplingihaving'v non-communicating passages therethrough lfor oil and st eam, respectively, the 4portions yof the passages at the terminal ends of the coupling being concentric for connection with pipes having'similar concentric passages.

5. In a lubricating system a pipe coupling comprisingtwo pipe sections, one' of said sections having one end branched oli'l at an angle toits o posite end, .the 'other section having fluid-tight turning .connection with said branch, said 'coupling having non-communicating passages"therethroughfor oil and steam, respectively, both-passages being continuous through the turninglconnection, V T- the.portions 'of the passages .atfth'ef terminal 'ing fluid, respectively, a

`'connection with 4pipes having similar conthrough for a lubricating fluid and a heating fluid, respectively, one of the passages being 4surrounded throughout the greater portion of its length -in said joint by the other passageso as'to cause a more uniform heating of the lubricating fluid at all points l in the cross sectional area of its passage.

' 7 In a lubricating system, a pipe coupling comprising telescoping sectlons turnable one upon the other with a. huid-tight joint and having non-'communicating passages therethrough-for alubricating fluid and a heating fluid, respectively, one Vof the passages through the turning joint being coaxial with the turning axis, and the other passage extending entirely around the centralpassage i .l

8. .In alubricatingsystem, a pipe coupling vcomprising telescoping .pipe sections Itted 'fone within the other with a taper -fit and.

provided with'. concentric .non-communieating. passages for -a' lubricating. fluid and a heating fluid, respectively.

9. In a lubricating system, a pipe coupling comprising telescoping pipe sections fitted one within `the other 'with a taper t and provided with concentric non-communicating vpassages for alubricatirf fluid and a heatmeans for yieldingly forcing one Sectio into the other in the direction of the taper.

10. In a lubricating system, a flexible-pipe joint having an elbow section, each branch of which is provided with concentric'nonpommunicating `passages for oil and steam, respectively, and another section telescoping with one of the' branches of the elbow section and also provided with concentric noncommunicating passages, each communicating with the corresponding passagein the elbow section.

l1. In a lubricating system, a flexible pipe joint comprising an elbow section having concentric non-communicating passages for oil and steam, respectively, through both branches thereof, one of the branches having a tapering socket in one end, another section having a tapering end tting in said socket and also vprovided with `concentric non-communicating passages, respectively,

with the adjacent ends of the first named passages to formcontinuations thereof.

12. In a lubricating system, a lflexible pipe joint comprising an elbow sectlon having concentric non-communicating passages through both branches for oil and steam, re-

spectively, the' ends'of both branches being p'rovidedwith rvtapering sockets, additional sections having tapering ends fitted in said sockets to turn thereiny and each provided with concentric non-communicating passages registering with the adjacent ends of the corresponding passages in the elbow section to form continuations thereof.

13. In a lubricating system, a flexible pipe joint having telescoping sections turnable one within the other and each provided with concentric non-communicating passages therethrough for oil and. steam, respectively,

the adjacent ends of corresponding passages registering with each other, a union screwing upon one of the sections and surrounding a portion of the other section, said union and 'the-last named section being provided with annular shoulders in spaced relation, and a coil spring interposed between said shoulders t0 yieldingly hold the sections in operative relation.

14. In a lubricating system, a flexible pipe joint having telescoping l sections turnable one within the other and each `provided with concentric non-communicating passages therethrough for oil and steam, respectively, the adjacent ends of corresponding passages registering with each other, a union screwing upon one of the sections and surrounding a portion of the other section, said union and the last named sectionbeing provided with annular shoulders in spaced relation, a coil spring interposed between said shoulders to yieldingly hold the sections in operative relation, and movable means for locking the unionin its adjusted position.

FRANK rmi/rino.

Witnesses:

J. W. CRAWLEY, H. Gr. Finir. 

